Sessions faces off against old team

Mankato, Minn. - Ramon Sessions puts on a Minnesota Timberwolves uniform for the first time, and who is staring back at him on the other side of the court?

None other than his old team, the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Timberwolves and Bucks are playing their preseason opener tonight at Minnesota State University, in a city located about 75 miles southwest of Minneapolis.

Sessions waited most of the summer as a restricted free agent, hoping for a multiyear offer from the New York Knicks or Los Angeles Clippers. That didn't happen, but the Timberwolves quickly offered a four-year, $16.4 million deal when first-round pick Ricky Rubio decided to stay in Spain rather than coming to the NBA.

"It was a tough process, but in the end it all worked out," Sessions said. "It was a long summer. It wasn't as easy as it sounds. I used to go into some workouts and say, 'I can't even do it today.'"

Rookie Jonny Flynn is in the Timberwolves lineup as the starting point guard for the opener, while third-year pro Corey Brewer is starting at shooting guard and Sessions will come off the bench.

When the teams came out for pre-game warmups, the Bucks players who were on the team last season immediately went to midcourt and embraced Sessions.

Sessions will play both guard spots for the Timberwolves, but new coach Kurt Rambis made it clear he sees the 6-foot-3 South Carolina native primarily as a point man.

"He's done a terrific job so far," Rambis said. "He's picked up what we want to do relatively quickly. He came into this camp blind.

"He has good instincts offensively and defensively. The whole season is going to be a work in progress, but I like his work ethic. I like his attitude, his professionalism. He's going to be a good addition to our ballclub.

"We have to look at our different combinations and see how that works. There might be times in games or times against particular opponents where that might happen (playing shooting guard). But his instincts and capabilities are for him to play that point guard spot."

Sessions said he was thankful for his two years in Milwaukee and the experience he gained last season when he played in 79 games and made 39 starts. He led the Bucks with 5.7 assists per game, which ranked 18th in the league.

"They gave me a great start," Sessions said. "They got me the contract I did get. I've got nothing bad to say about that; they gave me a chance."

Sessions admitted he was eager to go against some of the top players in the Western Conference on a more regular basis. Think Tony Parker, Chauncey Billups, Deron Williams, Chris Paul, even Kobe Bryant.

"You've got the Chaunceys, the Derons, the Chris Pauls almost every night," he said. "I'm definitely looking forward to those challenges night in and night out."

The Bucks wanted to stay under the luxury tax and ultimately did not match the Timberwolves' offer sheet to Sessions.

"There's an art to figuring it out, and it's a very iffy business," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "Sometimes guys continue to grow and grow and grow; other guys don't. It's very hard to project that.

"Ramon is a hard worker. He likes to be in the gym; he likes to work on his game. He's a good teammate. So there's no reason to assume he won't improve."